


Coping with Anxiety

by horny_and_stupid_on_side



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Consensual spanking, Domestic Discipline, Dysfunctional Family, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Non-Consensual Spanking, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Past Torture, Past Violence, Spanking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-01-29 22:27:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21417685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horny_and_stupid_on_side/pseuds/horny_and_stupid_on_side
Summary: Anxiety, as a concept, can be hard on everyone to deal with, but it can be especially frustrating for other sides of one's personality; it undermines Morality, defies Logic, instigates Deceit, and exhausts both aspects of Creativity… needless to say, when debating just isn’t enough, the other sides resort to something rather unexpected in order to get Virgil to chill out. He might not like it at first, but hey, it’s a surprisingly effective distraction from his racing thoughts… and the affection he receives afterwards is pretty nice, too.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 43
Kudos: 128





	1. Logan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan has a solution to both Virgil's bad behavior, as well as his need for validation, but Virgil is less than enthused by his idea. Hey, at least the comfort afterwards is kinda nice, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was bound to fucking happen the MINUTE I got into SS and saw Virgil… yeah, there was no avoiding this one. Btw, Virgil is called Anxiety in the first chapter because it’s pre-AA, but he’ll be called Virgil starting in the next chapter! Please enjoy!

The first time Anxiety gets spanked, it’s Logan that administers the punishment.

To be entirely fucking fair, he was driving Logan up the wall during their makeshift debate, and Anxiety damn well knows it. In all honesty, he’s surprised Logan didn’t start swinging at him the minute they were back in Thomas’s living room, and he was even _ more _ surprised when the logical side complimented his ability to debate (despite the fact that he got hissed at earlier). Of course, once Thomas has gone back to his bedroom to chill out and try to reassure Roman that everything will be alright, the silence is deafening, especially in the relative seclusion of the mind palace. In order to end the tension, Logan disappears to his bedroom with some excuse about needing to do research, leaving his former debate partner to do as he pleases. Anxiety finds himself in the kitchen soon after that, sitting on one of the empty counters as he browses his phone, mostly fucking around on Tumblr and all together just trying to forget how nice it felt to be complimented. It’s while he’s doing this, and therefore not really paying attention, that Logan comes back out of his room, stepping quietly into the kitchen.

Anxiety has every intention of simply ignoring the other side, but when Logan only continues to stare at him, Anxiety grows frustrated, biting back a huff as he sets his phone aside, offering the taller side a scowl for his trouble. “What do you _ want, _ Logan?” He asks, not at all happy about receiving the silent treatment.

“I just wanted to check in with you after our debate,” As usual, Logan gets right to the point, not at all sensing Anxiety’s unwillingness to deal with him. “It seemed as though your anxiety only increased throughout the debate, and I want to know why that is. In most cases, talking about one’s feelings is meant to better one’s state of being, not make it significantly worse.”

Anxiety all but rolls his eyes at Logan’s rambling; he shouldn’t be surprised that _ this _ is what’s gotten Logan on his case again, but that doesn’t make him any more willing to deal with it. “Yeah, well, not everything works the way it’s supposed to, Logan… especially not _ me.” _ He goes back to fiddling with his phone, pretending he doesn’t feel a familiar ache in his chest at the thought of things not going the way they should.

Logan stiffens, possibly understanding the reference, but Anxiety can’t be certain, considering how much shit tends to go over Logan’s head. “…You’re being self-deprecating again. As I’m sure you’re aware of by now, belittling one’s self image only goes to make anxiety more difficult to deal with in the long run; I suggest finding a better coping mechanism.”

Anxiety raises an eyebrow at that, secretly a bit curious. “Oh yeah? Have any suggestions, teach?”

“I have a few ideas, yes,” Logan admits, not catching the slight sarcasm in Anxiety’s tone. “Most of them I have already been testing on you in passing, but as you are incredibly stubborn and unwilling to change your daily routine, none of them have made much of a difference in your overall behavior and habits. I have one last solution that I believe may work, but I doubt you’ll agree to it. There is also the risk that it may cause you great discomfort, but I believe it important to at least give it a chance. Are you willing to let me help you, Anxiety?”

“Try me.” Anxiety plays along, not having anything better to do than search for the bottom of the internet. Besides, he wouldn’t mind finding a way to feel better.

“Excellent,” Logan strides forward, stopping just in front of where Anxiety’s still perched on the counter. “To begin with, I’ll need you to stand in front of me.”

“Wait, _ what?” _ Anxiety freezes, puzzled by Logan’s request. Isn’t this just gonna be some stupid breathing exercise or self-help bullshit? Why would he need to get up for this?

“Please, just follow my instructions,” Logan says, arms behind his back as he waits for Virgil to comply. After a few seconds of tentative silence, the shorter side obediently hops down from the counter. “Very good, Anxiety… now, before we begin, I find it integral that I explain how this exercise will help you. Seeing as you represent Thomas’s anxiety, fight or flight reflexes, and general fear of the unknown, I believe a majority of your behavioral issues stem from your insecurities, and how you are perceived by the rest of your fellow sides. Through this exercise, I believe it will reinstate not only my own willingness to help you through your shortcomings, but it may also assure you that you are indeed cared for.”

“Um… _ okay?” _ Anxiety remains confused, unable to keep up with most of Logan’s spiel; to be fair, he hasn’t slept very well in some time, so the sleep deprivation is probably catching up with him by now. “So, is this gonna be some weird hugging thing? ‘Cus you _ really _ don’t seem like the type to-” He doesn’t get any farther than that.

In one swift movement, Logan has Anxiety slung under his left arm, locking the shorter side against his hip. Before Anxiety can even _ begin _ to figure out what’s happening, Logan swings his free arm down, his hand smacking down on the anxious side’s ass. Anxiety let’s out a muted yelp out of reflex, the smack enough to get the gears in his head turning. Is Logan _ serious? _ He must be, if he’s willing to do this at all, but Anxiety would be lying if he said he expected this out of the logical side; isn’t spanking a little old fashioned? It’s not like it hurts that much… okay, it _ definitely _ hurts, especially because Logan is obnoxiously stronger than he looks, but Anxiety knows he should still consider himself lucky that his skinny jeans have been kept on for this. Regardless, he figures now is as good a time as any to figure out what the _fuck_ is happening.

_ “Ow! _ Logan, what the _ heck _ are you _ doing!?” _ Anxiety starts yelling about twelve spanks in, the stinging sensation enough to knock him out of his stupor.

“I’m disciplining you through corporal punishment, otherwise known as spanking,” Logan explains, not letting up even as he continues to speak. “Although it is indeed a painful way of getting my message across, this should be a long lasting reminder that you are cared about by your fellow sides.”

“Oh yeah, ‘cus getting my ass beat reminds me how much my roommates absolutely _ adore _ me, and _ totally _ doesn’t make me hate you even more than I did before.” Anxiety mutters under his breath, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Logan says, the sarcasm going right over his head as usual. He continues laying on the spanking, careful to keep Anxiety’s feet on the ground so he can’t kick him on accident. “Only a few more, and we’ll be done.”

Anxiety simply huffs, tempted to cross his arms and pout, but he can’t really do that in this position, as one of his arms is being crushed against Logan’s torso, giving the shorter side next to no wiggle room, only allowed to pout. Nonetheless, he wiggles as much as he can, trying his best to get out of the hold he's in, but Logan won’t stand for it, spanking him somewhat harder to make that clear to the other side. Anxiety hisses under his breath, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, as the pain is quickly becoming quite unbearable. It’s not the worst pain Anxiety’s ever endured, considering the fact that Remus considers stabbing someone to be a greeting, but this is definitely one of the more embarrassing ways Anxiety's been hurt. Out of frustration, both towards Logan and the situation as a whole, Anxiety stomps one of his feet, feeling more and more like a scolded child by the minute. Logan doesn’t really respond to the action, simply continuing with the spanking as if nothing is amiss. Within the next few swats, it finally becomes too much, and without his permission, Anxiety let’s out a choked sob.

Almost immediately, Logan is standing Anxiety up, his hands coming to rest on the shorter side’s shoulders. “We’re done now, Anxiety,” Logan promises, tone lower than usual, as if he’s trying to turn the volume down for Anxiety, which is secretly appreciated. “Now then, did this exercise help at all?” He asks, just to be sure, even as his expression suggests that he at least thinks it did.

Although Anxiety doesn’t want to admit it… he sort of feels a little better now. Not outrageously better, but… it’s more the sentiment that’s making him feel less like garbage. The fact that Logan, a side Anxiety commonly associates with apathy and contempt for his very existence, was willing to try and help another side, especially Anxiety, with an emotional issue of all things… it’s honestly pretty comforting. Shaking it off for the time being, Anxiety tries to regain his anger from before, not wanting to accept that having his backside warmed was in any way helpful, but for whatever reason, it _was_ helpful, and that deeply unsettles Anxiety. Back when he lived with the other Dark Sides, Anxiety was occasionally punished by Deceit for acting up or causing problems in their half of the mind palace, but most of his punishments were psychological, involving timeouts and standing in an uncomfortable position for an elongated period of time. Considering the fact that Anxiety ran away, he’s pretty sure those punishments don’t really work on him, so why on earth did being _spanked_ work for him?

Once again, Anxiety is fairly certain it’s about the commitment that's involved. Also, Logan didn’t spank him in a way that Anxiety could comfortably say was violent, as Logan kept contact with him the entire time, and considering how strong the shorter side knows his companion is, Logan didn’t hit him very hard, either. If anything, the warmth on Anxiety’s backside is just that; _warmth._ Okay, no, it stings a little as well, and Anxiety won’t be surprised if sitting down again will be a challenge, but it’s not like he’s scared for his life or anything. With Remus and Deceit, punishments always had some underlying terror to them, so Anxiety is pleasantly surprised that he’s not crying his eyes out with fear by now. On top of that, Logan said this was to help Anxiety, not to directly punish him, right? It was implied that that was a secondary effect, but the primary intention was to help balance Anxiety out emotionally, and whether he’s willing to fully accept it right now or not, Logan’s spanking did just that. So, with a deep sigh, Anxiety can only nod, too embarrassed to verbally agree.

The corner of Logan’s mouth twitches up at that. “Very good; that’s exactly what I was trying to accomplish, Anxiety,” Almost as if he's shy now, he lays a hand on Anxiety’s head, stuck in place for a few seconds. Once he gets his bearings, Logan awkward rubs Anxiety’s hair, and it’s at this point that Anxiety realizes what he’s trying to do; he’s trying to ruffle his hair affectionately. “Um… is this how Patton does it?” Logan asks, face taking on a slightly pink hue.

Anxiety can’t help but chuckle, amused by Logan’s discomfort. “Yeah, teach, you’ve got it.” He assures, finding it ironic that Logan’s the one embarrassed after what just happened.

Logan nods, still blushing a little. “Good… are you alright now? Do you need me for anything else? I need to take notes before I forget.”

Now Anxiety’s the one blushing again, humiliated by the thought of Logan somehow recording this event, even if it’s only in a journal or notebook. “Do you _really_ need to write about this, dude?” He asks, all while subtly beginning to rub his bottom, trying to get rid of the perpetual sting.

Logan looks perplexed by the question. “Of course I have to; it’s not science if I’m not taking notes, Anxiety,” He says oh so matter-of-factually, not as fazed as Anxiety. “While I do so, I suggest you take some time to rest; after receiving corporal punishment, many patients find it soothing to take a small nap or break, both so they may recover and then contemplate on the lesson they were made to learn,” Somewhat forcefully, Logan lays a hand on Anxiety’s shoulder again, herding the other side into the living room. There, he makes a motion towards the couch with his free hand. “Here, you may nap on the couch if you’d like, if only so you won’t feel as isolated.”

Somewhat ashamed to be needing all of this attention and comforting, but also liking the idea of a short nap, Anxiety simply nods his head in agreement, coming to lie down on the couch, eyelids drooping as he makes himself comfortable. In the meantime, Logan tosses a blanket over Anxiety, before making his escape back to his bedroom, as he desperately wants to record his findings. Anxiety doesn’t try stopping him, content with taking the logical side’s advice and getting some much needed rest. However, once Logan has left the room, and Anxiety is certain no one will come into the living room while he’s doing this, he subtly pulls his pants down under the blanket, ducking his head underneath the makeshift curtain to check the damage. Squinting, Anxiety uses his phone as a light source. All in all, it’s not nearly as bad as it could be, with Anxiety’s backside only colored a light pink. To be fair, Logan didn’t spank him all that hard, nor for very long, and considering some of the punishments Anxiety’s received in the past, it’s a nice surprise to see that he won’t be sporting any humiliating bruises or marks in the coming days.

After readjusting his jeans, Anxiety rolls onto his side, letting out an embarrassingly cat-like yawn as he begins to drift off to sleep, his mind finally quieting down enough for him to do so for the first time in weeks. When Anxiety wakes later, Logan will simply nod at him, silently promising him that this will be a recurring thing, but with this being the present, Anxiety sees no need to fret over it. For now, he’ll just rest, and silently pray that Logan’s new habit of being kind to him is also going to be a recurring thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I totally have plans of continuing this series, as I want every side to have a chance to spank Virgil, but that might take some time to write! For now, I hope y’all enjoy this first chapter/part! Please comment if you like this; I’ll be happy to consider requests for how future chapters will go (Although, please note, Thomas is NOT an option to punish Virgil in this; I just can’t bear to write RPF, and this is already skirting the line)! Have an awesome day!


	2. Roman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman has something to say about Virgil's habit of "borrowing" other sides' things, and he intends to teach him a lesson, but is this REALLY Virgil's doing? Something fishy is going on here...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna do Patton next, but as this low-key follows a timeline… yeah, Princy’s next! Prepare for angst!

The second time Virgil gets spanked, Roman loses his temper.

In all fairness, Virgil knew Roman was in a mood and he was trying  _ very  _ hard to avoid him, but the anxious side was  _ also  _ certain Roman would leave him be for the rest of the day… obviously he was wrong, but it’s not like he could’ve seen this coming or anything. It happens later in the day, close to dinnertime, and only a few days after Virgil has been more or less accepted into the family. Logan and Patton were already accepting of him, at least to some degree, but after Virgil ducked out and got the chance to express his feelings to the group, Roman and Thomas finally came around to accepting him, too. Even so, Virgil still feels the desire to keep a healthy distance from his fellow sides, half scared that, even if they like him _ now,  _ they probably won’t like him forever. As Deceit so elegantly put it the day Virgil shunned his old name and ran from the darkest corners of Thomas’s mind; once they see the  _ real  _ Virgil- the parts of himself he hides at all costs- they won’t want anything to do with him anymore. And  _ then  _ what will he do with himself? Seeing as Deceit told Virgil not to come running home if things went sideways, and ducking out didn’t hide him for very long… there would be nowhere to hide.

Sighing under his breath, Virgil shakes his head, turning up the volume on his headphones to try and drown out his racing thoughts. It’s been a quiet day so far, with Thomas working on cleaning the house with Logan and Patton’s combined guidance, leaving Virgil and Roman to do as they please for the most part. Roman took off the  _ minute  _ Logan said his presence wouldn’t be necessary for cleaning, his only excuse for running being that he needed to start planning future videos while he had the free time to do so. Secretly, Virgil had half hoped Roman would reach out to him for some time together, despite his bad attitude. It’s not that Virgil particularly  _ likes  _ Roman or anything- he’s still getting accustomed to the more fanciful side of creativity, plus he finds the prince to be a bit…  _ much-  _ but it would’ve been nice to at least be  _ asked  _ if he wanted to hang out, ya know? As Roman’s busy, Virgil’s taken to hunkering down in his bedroom, trying his best not to let his discomfort seep out of the room and into the rest of the mind palace, something he’s doing by distracting himself with listening to music and reading one of the books he “borrowed” from Logan’s room a few days ago.

But, of course, something  _ has  _ to go and ruin everything… as usual.

As Virgil is turning the page of his book, MCR blasting at a truly impressive volume through his headphones, he catches the doorknob turning out of the corner of his eye. Before Virgil can do or say anything, the door slams open with enough force to bang against the wall, letting out a startlingly loud crack. Even if he saw it coming to some degree, Virgil can’t help but flinch like an abused dog, finding this scene all too familiar, but instead of finding an outraged Deceit in his doorway, the shortest of the sides finds Roman instead, though he looks no less irritated than Virgil’s old mentor did when in a bad mood. As Virgil sits up in bed, mindful to pull off his headphones so he can actually hear what the other side is going to say, he takes a minute to assess the situation, more than a little curious as to what’s got the prince in such a state. In all fairness, Roman is almost  _ never  _ lacking in dramatics, but it’s the look of indignation mixed with fury on his face that’s got Virgil’s stomach in knots, the embodiment of fear unable to keep from dry swallowing out of nervousness. With more grace than he had when bursting into the room, Roman slowly shuts and locks the door behind himself, which only goes to make Virgil more uneasy.

“Virgil,” Roman greets through gritted teeth, his glare cold enough to freeze the ocean. “Where the  _ hell  _ did you put my hairbrush?”

Virgil blinks, before the urge to roll his eyes overtakes him. “Seriously?  _ That’s  _ what’s got you trying to break my freaking door down, dude?” Nonchalantly, he lies back down on his bed, putting back on his headphones as he does so. “I haven’t seen your stupid hairbrush; why not ask Logan or Patton? They're the ones making Thomas tear the house apart.”

“I  _ already  _ asked them,” Roman explains, his glare not lessening in the slightest; if anything, he seems to grow angrier due to Virgil’s lack of helpfulness regarding his plight. “Logan said that  _ you  _ had it last, so that’s why I’m here! I swear, if there’s even  _ one  _ scratch on it, I’ll end you!”

“Why the heck would  _ I  _ have  _ your  _ hairbrush?” Virgil asks, arms coming to rest behind his head, eyes closing with slight fatigue. “I didn’t take it, Princy; why not  _ comb  _ the Imagination for it? You seem to lose crap in there pretty often.” He chuckles at the pun, certain Patton would be proud.

Although Virgil can’t see it on account of his eyes being closed, Roman’s face goes about two shades redder, the creative side infuriated by the joke. “This  _ isn’t funny,  _ Virgil! That hairbrush is my  _ favorite!” _ He snaps, storming over to Virgil’s bed. Out of anger, he snatches Virgil’s headphones, pulling them off of the anxious side’s head. “Stop ignoring me, you nightmare; I’m talking to you!”

“Hey!” Virgil shouts when his headphones are taken away, the shorter side jolting up as he tries to snatch them back, but Roman holds them just out of his reach. “Give those  _ back!” _

“Not until you return my hairbrush!” Roman insists, and now Virgil can make out the slight desperation in his voice, as if it’s not just a simple hairbrush that’s gone missing.

Virgil slowly eases up, feeling unsettled. “Roman… why are you getting so upset about this? It’s just another hairbrush, right?” He asks, not sure how a stupid hairbrush would have the prince in such hysterics.

Roman huffs, taking a moment to breathe, but he still doesn’t hand back the headphones. “It’s not  _ just  _ another hairbrush, Virge… it was the  _ king’s.” _

All at once, the pieces click together, and although Virgil stands firm in that he didn’t take the beloved hairbrush, he can’t help but feel bad for Roman as he finally understands the root of the other side’s problem. Although he never knew the king all that well- he was younger than the other sides when he came to be, and the king split not long after Virgil was technically  _ “born”- _ he remembers him in fragments; impossibly tall, strong in an otherworldly sort of way, and he had a smile that could even make  _ Logan  _ ease up a little! After the king split into two halves of a whole, he only left a few relics of his time in the mind palace, most of which are kept in the Imagination. Of course, there are a few exceptions; Logan still has the first paper mache volcano they built together, Patton has all of the music playlists the king burnt onto outdated CDs, Deceit has a box filled with the creative side’s favorite jewelry, and Virgil still has the stuffed cat that was made for him when he first came into existence. As such relics are in short supply, it’s only natural that Roman would be protective of his  _ “father’s” _ things… still, Virgil doesn’t think it’s an excuse to go around accusing people of stealing.

“Look, Roman, I get it- really, I do- but I didn’t take the king’s hairbrush, okay?” Virgil tries being civil- even when he’d  _ love  _ to chew Roman out for his horrid behavior thus far- in hopes that it’ll convince the prince to ease up and realize that acting like this won’t solve anything.

Roman still seems pretty irritated, but he’s starting to calm down a bit. “Can I… can I still look around? Just in case? Logan seemed  _ really  _ insistent that you had it last.” He says, unable to keep from squirming uncomfortably in place.

Virgil bites his bottom lip to keep from huffing. “…Sure,” He agrees, flopping back onto his bed with the same level of dramatics Roman used when bursting into his room. “But give me back my headphones first, alright?”

“Of course!” Roman brightens up immediately, pleased to have gotten his way. He tosses the headphones to Virgil, turning his back on the anxious side to give the bedroom a careful once-over. “But if I find out you took it after all, you’re as good as dead, Gerard Dismay!”

Virgil all but rolls his eyes, barely managing to catch his headphones before they can hit the ground and risk getting damaged. Again, he’s very tempted to scold Roman for all the trouble he’s given him- that or get Patton, who could guilt-trip Roman into apologizing for his actions- but he holds his tongue, mindful of the sensitivity of this situation. With the prince currently tearing his bedroom apart in search of his hairbrush, Virgil returns to what he was doing before, but this time he chooses to ignore his book, instead closing his eyes and getting lost to his beloved tunes, secretly hoping they’ll get his mind in a better place. Unfortunately, his music unintentionally fills the side with nostalgia and guilt, MCR’s hit song  _ “Mama” _ reminding Virgil of his time with the other Dark Sides, and particularly of how Deceit reacted to him trying to join the Light Sides. At first, Deceit had been supportive, convinced Virgil was just trying to become an undercover spy of some sort, but when he kept seeing the younger side returning to the darkest corners of the mind palace with genuine  _ smiles  _ on his face… let’s just say it wasn’t  _ just  _ the stress that made Virgil want to duck out of existence.

Soon enough, the song finishes, and a somewhat less depressing Metric song comes on instead. With it playing as background music, Virgil cracks an eye open again, keeping it focused on Roman, who’s begun digging through one of the other side’s dressers. Were it not for the fact that Roman came here to start a fight, Virgil would actually be pretty happy that he’s here, finding comfort in having someone else visit his bedroom. It’s been awhile since Virgil had anyone come over to hang out- and  _ no, _ he is  _ not  _ counting Thomas’s visit- and he would be lying if he said it wasn’t nice to just have someone present and…  _ exist _ with him. In all honesty, it’s the best way Virgil likes to hang out with the other sides, and although Remus could never sit still for more than two minutes at a time (he knows that’s the longest because Deceit timed it), Deceit made for good, quiet company… so long as he wasn’t in a bad mood; in those cases, Virgil would much prefer Remus going off the rails any day. Shaking the thought away, Virgil sighs, aware that he needs to stop thinking about his old friends so much, but that’s hard to do, especially when their rejection is so fresh in his mind.

“I  _ KNEW IT!” _

Out of nowhere, Virgil is snapped out of his thoughts by Roman jumping up, the king’s old hairbrush held in a deathgrip in his left hand. “I  _ knew  _ you took it, you little brat!” Roman shouts, his glare deadly as he scowls down at Virgil, again storming over to stand at the foot of his bed.

Virgil  _ blinks, _ giving the hairbrush an uncertain look. “I  _ know  _ his looks bad,” He says, unable to keep from sounding fearful. “But I swear, I  _ didn’t  _ put it in here! It must’ve… someone could have-”

“-Enough!” Roman snaps, completely done with hearing Virgil out. “Don’t try to worm your way out of this one, Virgil! I already  _ know  _ you’ve been stealing stuff from Logan’s room, what’s stopping you from stealing from  _ me?” _ He pauses for a moment, his expression one of genuine hurt. “I thought you were more honorable than this, Anxiety… but to steal something that you  _ know  _ was the king’s? Have you  _ any  _ shame?”

Virgil dry swallows, feeling more and more uncomfortable with the situation. “Roman… I’m  _ sorry, _ okay?” He really isn’t, seeing as he  _ knows  _ he didn’t take the stupid brush, but whatever calms Roman down, the better.

Much to Virgil’s disappointment, Roman doesn’t look pleased by his apology at all. “No you’re  _ not,” _ He deadpans, crossing his arms as he looks the other man over, Virgil unable to keep from squirming anxiously under his glare. “You’re not the _ least bit  _ sorry,  _ are  _ you? You just  _ love  _ making me upset! Well, I’ve had just about enough of your constant instigations, Anxiety! It’s about time someone taught you a  _ lesson!” _

Before Virgil can so much as blink, Roman has a hold on one of his ankles, and with the same strength that he’s boasted about oh so many times, the princes forces Virgil’s leg into the air, holding it there without much effort. With his free hand, Roman seems to hesitate, examining his target, before he shakes off his trepidation, quick to smack the hairbrush he’s holding against Virgil’s backside. The anxious side yelps outright, startled both by the pain and the new position, but he can’t do much to fight back; even when he has one leg free to kick, it does nothing to deter the prince, especially when it just gives the other man an opening to grab his other ankle, too. With Virgil unable to kick anymore, Roman keeps going, continuing to spank Virgil with the back of the king’s old hairbrush, all while the shorter side grits his teeth and struggles to hold in his pained shouts. Virgil squeezes his eyes shut as his backside is splattered with hard swats, the hairbrush making quick work of having him regret everything and anything he’s ever said to the prince. Resisting the urge to scream when opening his mouth, Virgil gasps, struggling to retain his composure, something Roman seems intent on destroying.

**“Ow ow ** ** _ow! _ ** **Cut it ** ** _out, _ ** **Roman!”** Virgil orders, trying to use his  _ Tempest Tongue _ to get through to the other side.

“Don’t take that tone with me, little stormcloud,” Roman says, oddly enough using one of Virgil’s favorite nicknames on him. “You’re getting  _ exactly  _ what you deserve!”

**“I ** ** _mean it!”_ ** Virgil growls, voice coming out even more distorted as tears prick the corners of his eyes. ** “Let me go this fucking ** ** _instant,_ ** ** or I ** ** _swear,_ ** ** I’ll-”**

“-You’ll what? Throw a fit? Steal  _ more  _ of my things? It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before,” Roman explains, pausing to catch his breath. He takes a minute to glance at Virgil’s backside, grimacing when he realizes that the other side is still wearing his skinny jeans… he doesn’t  _ deserve  _ such a privilege! “Hm… you know, it seems I’ve been a tad too  _ merciful  _ towards you, Virgil; I should turn it up a notch,” That said, he unbuttons Virgil’s jeans, and despite the smaller side’s squirming, he manages to pull them down- well,  _ up  _ really- to his knees, exposing Virgil’s black boxers to the open air. “That’s  _ much  _ better! Now, let’s see if we can discipline you into finally behaving yourself.”

Virgil squeezes his eyes shut, not wanting to see what happens next, but that just makes him react more violently as Roman picks up where he left off, making sure to pay special attention to the tops of the other side’s thighs as he spanks him again. Virgil yelps like a frightened, feral cat, wanting nothing more than to cry and beg for mercy, but his pride won’t allow it. For another couple of minutes- can’t be any more than five, but definitely more than three- Roman continues spanking Virgil for what he believes to be a horrendous and inexcusable crime, hardly slowing down enough to let either one of them breathe. However, as the punishment continues, the more creative side begins to slow down, until he’s only delivering a swat every ten seconds or so. By now, Virgil has silent tears streaming down his face, but he’s yet to verbally wail. When Logan had spanked him a month or so ago, the anxious side had indeed let out a few weak sobs, but that was more due to the realization that he was cared about than the pain itself (though, the pain was most  _ certainly  _ a factor… Logan does  _ not  _ need an implement in order to get his point across). Very slowly, and without provocation, Roman sets the hairbrush down on the other boy’s bed, and with even  _ more  _ hesitation, he releases his hold on Virgil’s ankles.

Some angry, wronged part of Virgil wants nothing more than to kick Roman in the chin, as if he were an untamed racehorse finally freed of it’s reins, but he resists the urge… even if the prick  _ does  _ deserve it. With the same level of hesitation as Roman is currently showing, Virgil tries to lower his legs, wincing all the while at how sore and burnt his backside feels; now more than ever is he grateful that Logan never pulled his pants down for his first spanking, or he wouldn’t have lasted more than two minutes. Quietly, Roman pockets the king’s hairbrush, before taking a seat at the end of Virgil’s bed, his eyes lingering on the younger side’s face. Despite still being justifiably angry at the prince, Virgil finds himself staring back into his eyes, trying his hardest to gauge the other side’s mood, lest he be tempted to give an encore. To Virgil’s surprise, Roman appears…  _ sheepish, _ as if he’s only  _ now  _ realizing that he took things  _ way  _ too far. On the other hand, the prince doesn’t look  _ too  _ regretful, likely taking  _ some  _ kind of pleasure out of punishing his troublesome friend. After all, he and Virgil have been rivals since the more anxious side started popping up in front of Thomas, and he’s  _ gotta  _ be satisfied with seeing Virgil in tears after driving Roman to such a state numerous times before.

“Virgil,” Roman’s tone is stern, despite the fact that he’s obviously bearing a guilty conscience under his regal facade; it’s almost as if he’s trying to act like an authority figure to Virgil… as if he’s trying to act like  _ the king. _ “Is there something you want to say to me?”

Virgil squirms in place, all too tempted to chew the prince out, but when his eyes land on the hairbrush poking out of the back of Roman’s jeans… “Yes, sir,” He mumbles, surprised by the formal title, but it just feels right in this situation. “I’m, um… I’m sorry for taking the king’s hairbrush,” He says, aware that he’s lying, but continuing to deny his involvement will only go to instigate another spanking, and he doesn’t want to go through that again anytime soon. “In all honesty, I forgot I even took it… I’m sorry again, though.”

Roman huffs at that, rolling his eyes. “Of  _ course  _ you’d forget stealing it… you just take things without  _ thinking,  _ don’t you?” He stands, pulling out the hairbrush to point it menacingly at the other side. “But you  _ watch it,  _ Virgil! If I catch you stealing from anyone  _ ever  _ again, you and this hairbrush will be having  _ another  _ conversation, and next time, you won’t have your briefs on for protection!” With that, he suddenly pauses, eyes fixated on Virgil’s face, particularly on the dry tears tracks running down his cheeks. “And… another thing…” The prince hesitates, before sighing and ruffling the anxious side’s unruly hair, much to the other boy’s shock.  _ “Please _ don’t make me have to spank you again… can’t say I liked it as much as I thought I would.”

Roman leaves the room after that, not giving Virgil any time to respond. Once the prince is gone, Virgil let’s himself sniffle a little, using his hoodie sleeves to rub at his eyes. He huffs halfway through the procedure, giving the hoodie sleeve he’d been using to wipe his face an unimpressed look, a knot forming in his empty stomach. This hoodie is incredibly old, having been used by Virgil since he first came to be, but for the life of him, he doesn’t know if he has the will to replace it. The zipper hoodie is practically threadbare now, with several tears and loose ends making it a sorry sight, not to mention it’s pretty itchy… he should really just get rid of it. Swallowing, Virgil pulls his hoodie off, looking it over in his hands. Years ago, when he was still a mere child, Deceit summoned him up this hoodie and pulled it over his bony little shoulders, promising him that it would keep him safe from harm. Since then, Virgil’s worn it every day, rarely even taking it off to wash it, and yet here he is, considering chucking it in the trash… what would  _ Deceit  _ say? Considering his reactions to Virgil’s  _ other  _ life choices thus far, he’d probably disown him- you know,  _ again- _ or berate him… probably both, if we’re being perfectly honest here.

Letting out another remorseful sigh, Virgil pulls the itchy fabric back over his shoulders, taking comfort in the familiar weight. However, before he can get comfortable enough to collect himself and pull his jeans back up, he hears chuckling from the darkest corner of his already very dark bedroom. “Heeheehee… aw, what’s the  _ matter,  _ Charlotte Dead?” An eerie voice mocks, taking great pleasure in Virgil’s emotional turmoil. “Hugging your security blanket after your new big brother gave you a spanking?”

Virgil blushes, but he tries to hide it by pulling his hoodie up to cover the bottom half of his face, lest the duke see. “What do  _ you  _ want, Remus?” He asks, well aware of who it is, even when the figure is still hiding under the cover of darkness. “Got bored of harassing Deceit for his fake affection? Sorry, but if these guys can hardly stand  _ me, _ I doubt they’d let you stick around for more than an hour, and that’s if Logan is around to shut you up.”

Remus side-steps out of the shadows, his smile dropping to a vicious sneer within a few seconds of hearing the insult. “As if I want to play pretend with the  _ Brady Bunch,” _ He mutters, completely disinterested in the idea. “Naw, I only came to see how ton papa’s  _ bastard  _ was doing, now that he’s jumped outta the nest! You break your wings yet, little birdie?”

Virgil rolls his eyes, unimpressed with the joke. “Well, tell that deadbeat that I’m doing  _ just  _ fine without his help,” He orders, making a show out of flopping back onto his bed, ignoring the way Remus is still staring at him. “I’ve told him once and I’ll tell him a thousand times, Remus; I’m  _ never  _ going back. Not now, not  _ ever,” _ He rolls over, trying to find his book from earlier, but he has a feeling Roman recognized it to be stolen and took it when he wasn’t paying attention. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to you spew your usual bullshit.”

Remus glares wholeheartedly at Virgil now, eyeing him carefully, before slowly, he smirks, eyes lingering on the other side’s half-clothed ass. “You know… as much as I  _ hate  _ the color red these days, it looks awful cute on  _ you, _ Virge,” He comments, smirking devilishly at his ex-best friend. “Pretty smart to stash Daddy’s old hairbrush in your room, huh? Of course, it  _ never  _ would’ve worked if ton papa hadn’t helped! He makes for a pretty convincing nerd, doesn’t he?”

Virgil freezes, eyes widening in shock. He shoots up in bed almost immediately, glaring at Remus with all his might. “I  _ knew  _ it wasn’t my fault!” He shouts, voice edging on  _ Tempest Tongue, _ but he’s not about to speak in that tone in front of Remus. At least, not if he can help it. “You freaking  _ jerk! _ Do you have  _ any  _ idea what could’ve  _ happened  _ to me!?” He knows he’s exaggerating, but he’s still riding off of his panic from when Roman first burst into his room.

“Aw, what’s  _ wrong, _ junior? Mad that your grand frère set you up for another spanking?” Remus laughs when Virgil blushes again, taking great pleasure in his embarrassment. “You  _ really  _ think me and Dee missed that little show last month? Loggie ain’t exactly _ subtle, _ even when he’s trying!” He finally stops laughing, but he still smirks all the while. “After we saw that, Dee and me wanted to play a little trick on you! Don’t go acting like you didn’t earn it, runt; you’ve had  _ far worse _ coming since you ran away like the little  _ coward  _ you are!”

“Shut  _ up!”  _ Virgil orders, feeling tears prick the edges of his eyes. How could Remus stoop so low? Okay, no, Remus doing something like this isn’t all  _ that  _ surprising… but  _ Deceit?  _ Has he  _ really  _ stopped loving Virgil like he said he would? Does he  _ really  _ hate him so much that he’d set him up to be hurt? Even if he’s the one who left, Virgil still feels his heart break at the thought.

“That never works on me and you  _ know it!”  _ Remus teases, jumping up to balance on the end of Virgil’s bed frame, causing him to tower over the already very short side. “What ya gonna do about it, pipsqueak? Gonna cry to ton papa?” He mocks a thinking face, before letting out a fake gasp. “Oh, that’s _ right!  _ Silly me!” He giggles, amused by his own joke. “I almost forgot, Virge; you don’t really  _ have  _ a Daddy anymore,  _ do  _ you? You ran away, and now ton papa doesn’t want you back! It’s really too bad… we’re  _ both  _ orphans, huh?” He feigns sadness, acting as if he actually sympathizes with Virgil, but it’s clearly fake. “Except, well… at least  _ my  _ Daddy’s  _ dead,  _ right? Yours is still kicking, he just  _ hates you!” _

**“Get ** ** _out!” _ ** Virgil bellows, throwing the nearest pillow at Remus as hard as he can, not even caring that he’s speaking in Tempest Tongue; he just wants Remus  _ gone,  _ and for him to  _ never  _ come back.  **“Get out of my room, you piece of fucking ** ** _rat shit!”_ **

_ “There’s _ the Virgil I remember!” Remus says, back-flipping out of the way of Virgil’s pillow. He lands on the floor less than gracefully, but he’s up in an instant, cackling his head off like a mad hyena. “Bye bye, little spider! It was nice seeing you again; it was just like old times!” With that, he’s gone in a puff of smoke, the only proof of his presence being the foul smell of rotting garbage being left in his wake.

Virgil is left hyperventilating like his life depends on it on his bed, fresh tears streaming down his face, but this time, it’s not from the pain of the spanking Roman gave him. Slowly, he finds himself drawing his knees up to his chest, and with no one around to hear him or make him feel embarrassed and guilty for breaking down, he sobs woefully into his bare legs. Eventually, he’ll pull up his pants, clean up his face, and join everyone for dinner as if nothing had happened, his mind completely elsewhere and too unfocused to care how everyone else’s day went. Because of this, he won’t notice how Roman has dried tear tracks on his face and keeps squirming in his seat, or how Logan keeps rubbing his hand on his pants as if it’s sore. No, all he’ll be thinking about is how far he’s supposed to have come, but despite the fact that his life is supposed to be improving, all he’ll think is how much he’s lost as a result of this so-called growth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this is- *Checks WordCounter and the last chapter*- twice as long as the last chapter! I really went off on this one, huh? Well, it was fun either way! I hope you guys are excited for Patton’s chapter, because I’m 90% sure he’s next (him or Deceit, but probably him)! Thanks for reading, and please comment if you liked this chapter! ((Translations of what Remus said below; be warned, I am not fluent in French and used Google Translate to write this!))
> 
> ton papa = your daddy  
grand frère = big brother
> 
> (…I really like the headcanon that Remus speaks French, okay!?)


	3. Patton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of "Fitting In", Patton has some concerns for Virgil and his tendency to degrade himself. Virgil being Virgil doesn't see a problem with this, so Patton takes it upon himself to teach his kiddo why self-deprecation isn't very healthy! In the meantime, a snake watches from the shadows, but his intentions aren't quite as villainous as Virgil thinks they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is the side everyone’s been most excited to see spank Virgil, and hey, I’ve gotta say, I’ve been super excited as well (though not as excited as I am for the Janus chapter)! I really hope this lives up to the hype, sorry it took so freaking long though, I got sidetracked by IRL bullshit… and yes, I saw the latest episode and I’m fucking REELING!!! Anyways, I get why everyone wants to fuck Deceit now. Please enjoy!

The third time Virgil gets spanked, Patton follows through on his threat.

After the events of the latest Sanders Sides episode “Fitting In”, Virgil makes a point of keeping out of everyone’s way afterwards, not wanting too much attention after everyone changed their outfits. It’s not that he  _ hated  _ the conversation they had or anything- far from it, actually- but… well, it’s always a big deal to “come out of his shell” in front of the others, even when they’re trying to be more accepting of him. On top of that, Logan and Patton especially have been giving him concerned looks ever since he ducked out on them, likely worried that he’ll do it again if he gets pushed too much. Although Virgil has no intention of outting why he  _ really  _ ducked out, as he knows it would only bring trouble for him and the others, he still appreciates their concern… even if it  _ is  _ kinda annoying to deal with. Quietly, after he’s certain that Thomas will be okay on his own, the man smiling as he continues messing around with all of the Harry Potter merchandise he bought for the episode, Virgil silently sinks out of the living room, breathing a sigh of relief once he’s back in his own bedroom. Immediately, he flops onto his bed, letting out a mighty sigh now that he’s out of everyone’s sight again. Yeah, it can be fun to hang out with the others, but Virgil will  _ always  _ crave his alone time.

Of course, this is right when Patton decides to drop by.

There’s a soft knock on the door, Virgil automatically recognizing the knock to be Patton’s, as Logan’s is very clinical, Roman and Remus just bust down every door that’s in their way like that one Big Bird vine, and Deceit removes doors from existence if he wants to enter a room. “Heya, kiddo!” Patton’s voice calls through the door, tone as jovial as it always is. “How’re ya doin’ in there, lil’ buddy? Can I come in?”

Virgil considers telling Patton no, as he really doesn’t feel like being around anyone right now, but… well, he’s always had a hard time telling father figures no. “Sure, Pat,” He says, biting back on the urge to sigh; no need to hurt the guy’s feelings. “Come on in, just… please don’t slam the door open.”

“I would never do that, buddy,” Patton promises, opening the door rather gently before shuffling inside, an easy-going smile on his face, which only seems to grow happier when his eyes land on Virgil, something the anxious side will never understand. “Hey there, Virge! How’s it going in here? You listening to your cool music?” The fatherly side asks, leaning on the nearest wall like a  _ ‘cool teacher’ _ in an anti-drug video.

Virgil simply stares at Patton for a moment, and although this behavior isn’t new from the paternal side, Virgil still has to remind himself on occasion that this is just how Patton is as a person. As much shit as he talks concerning Deceit, this  _ scene  _ does vaguely remind Virgil of him, at least from before the king split in two. Back then, things had been so much simpler, and even if he wasn’t a perfect parent, Deceit was still so much more  _ loving  _ than he is now, always wanting to know what his anxious son was up to, and willing to comfort him when things got too loud or upsetting for the kid to handle. In all honesty, Virgil’s heart aches whenever he recalls that period of his life, simultaneously wanting to go back and never grow up, and erase it completely from his troubled mind, if only so he could’ve saved himself the heartbreak of cutting ties with the father he once swore he would love forever. If things had been bad from minute one, Virgil would have chosen to live with the light sides so much sooner, but… well, it  _ wasn’t  _ horrible at first, and instead it was a gradual climb into the torture he suffered in that dark corner of the Mind Palace. Shaking his head, Virgil pushes those thoughts aside, aware that Patton is waiting on him to respond, the fatherly side looking worried by now.

“Oh, uh, n-no, I’m not listening to anything right now,” Virgil says, hating how his voice stutters a bit, but he can’t help it, not after reminiscing on his childhood. “Just kinda, uh…  _ chilling, _ I guess.” That probably sounds stupid, but the anxious side can’t bring himself to care.

“So you wouldn’t mind talking for a bit?” Patton asks, his smile so disarming, and yet… Virgil gulps, having a bad feeling about this.

“Uh, sure, okay.” Against his better judgement, Virgil agrees, too nervous not to.

“Awesome sauce!” Patton grins, plopping down on Virgil’s bed to sit with him, making sure to clap his hands softly to shut the door so no one can listen in on their conversation.

For a moment, it’s quiet, Patton giving Virgil the most affectionate of smiles, but the shorter side can still sense a certain level of unease in the air, causing him to shiver. “So… what’s up, Pat?” Virgil finally asks, hating how awkward the mood is.

Patton’s smile slowly drops, but at least he doesn’t start glaring or anything like that, the other side simply appearing…  _ depressed.  _ “Virgil, kiddo, you know we all love you, right?” Patton asks, his tone akin to a father about to announce a divorce. Virgil simply nods, throat too dry to say anything out loud. “Good, good… our love is  _ unconditional, _ Virge. I know you sometimes don’t believe that, but it is, and it always will be! No matter what you represent or what your functions are, we’ll  _ always  _ adore you!”

Virgil goes tense, uncomfortable with all this sudden praise, suspicious that it might be a cushion for whatever bombshell Patton plans on dropping on him. “What’s this about, Patton? Seriously, you’re freaking me out here,” He doesn’t bother lying about his feelings, as it would just make him sound like Deceit, and he has no intention of being  _ anything  _ like that piece of shit. “Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?”

Patton averts his eyes for a second, which says a lot. “Not… _ exactly,” _ He says it a bit sheepishly, appearing unsure now that Virgil’s getting more involved with the conversation. “I’m just worried about you, kiddo, that’s all. You were saying an awful lot of  _ really  _ mean stuff about yourself during the video today, and I-”

“-It’s  _ nothing,  _ Pat,” Virgil snaps all too quickly, glaring daggers now that he knows what this is actually about. “Don’t worry so much about me, okay? I’m Anxiety for a  _ reason; _ being a self-deprecating jerk is kinda my whole gig.”

Patton grimaces, unhappy with Virgil’s response. “First of all, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt me, kiddo,” He says, doing his best not to sound too stern, not that it’s enough to hide how frustrated he is with the boy. “Second of all, being Anxiety doesn’t mean you have to say bad things about yourself, Virgil; it just means you’re really cautious, and that you think  _ really hard  _ before you let Thomas do anything that could hurt him!”

Virgil scoffs under his breath, hopefully not loud enough that Patton will hear him and get even more annoyed. “Clearly you don’t know jack about Anxiety then.” He mutters, glaring at his bedsheets to keep from focusing all of his anger on the other side.

“Well, you’re right that I don’t know any Jacks, but I  _ do  _ know that you’re so much better than you make yourself out to be!” Patton says, grinning again, but Virgil only registers it as being fake and unnecessary.

“Don’t patronize me, Patton,” Virgil orders, tone stern as he finally glares at the other side, anger beginning to bubble up and fester in his chest, making him want to punch something. “You keep trying to pretend that I’m worthwhile, that I’m something more than my name, but we all know that’s a lie, and lying really doesn’t suit either of us very well, now does it?” He sighs then, a great sadness taking root in his heart, outweighing the anger and pushing him into a depressed state of mind. “Just admit it, Pat… I’m never going to be any better than this; all I do is cause problems, and that’s never gonna change, no matter how much we try to pretend it will.”

Instead of trying to be all cuddly and infantilizing again, Patton suddenly  _ scowls  _ at Virgil, catching the other side off-guard. “Virgil, do you remember what I said during the episode about not talking bad about yourself anymore? This is your last warning to stop saying such awful things about my lil’ buddy, or you’re not gonna like what happens.”

Virgil glares viciously at Patton, not at all afraid of anything that the kind-hearted side might throw at him; it can’t be any worse than what Remus put him through as a kid, right? Besides, he’s probably just bluffing… however, Virgil can’t help but squirm with discomfort, remembering the few spankings he’s received from Logan in the last few months, as well as the very hard one that Roman gave him last month. Several times since his first punishment, Logan has assured Virgil a number of times that he would  _ never  _ tell anyone about the domestic discipline he uses on him, but seeing as Remus and Deceit apparently know, and Roman’s shown interest in swatting him, too… Virgil can’t help but gulp, scared that Patton would do the same to him, especially since a spanking sounds  _ exactly  _ like something he’d do, at least if given enough pressure to do so. Regardless, Virgil isn’t willing to back down at this point, curious both as to what Patton will do if he keeps disobeying him, and maybe, just  _ maybe, _ he kinda wants to be punished right now. If Logan were here, he might even be inclined to ask  _ him  _ for some help, but seeing as he’s busy trying to convince Thomas to clean up the living room… he’ll see just what Patton meant with all those threats earlier.

“I may be a worthless fucking coward, Patton, but I’m not afraid of you,” Virgil states, crossing his arms as he glares into Patton’s eyes, trying to out-intimidate the other side. “You think you can scare me? There ain’t  _ nothin’  _ you can do to me that I wouldn’t do to myself in a  _ heartbeat. _ Face it, Pat; Thomas would be better off if I weren’t around, and you damn well know it.”

There’s a lengthy pause. All at once, Virgil feels  _ exactly  _ like he did when he told Deceit to go fuck himself when he was thirteen, but instead of wordlessly getting backhanded by his father figure, Virgil can only watch as Patton’s eyes narrow a fraction, his anger obvious, but not nearly as volatile as one might expect. Silently, the other side stands, arms crossed as he stares his ward down. “I warned you multiple times to stop being mean to yourself, Virgil Anxiety,” Patton deadpans, tone more strict than it’s ever been. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but seeing as Logan says it works, I guess I have no other choice,” He takes a deep breath, clearly unsure, before he visibly softens, offering Virgil a slight smile. “Okay, kiddo… please stand up and pull your pants down for me. I know you’re scared, but trust me, this is gonna hurt me  _ much  _ more than it’ll hurt you.”

Virgil goes about seven different shades of red, eyes going wide as he realizes  _ exactly  _ what Patton is up to. Don’t get him wrong, he’s glad that he’s not about to be punched, slapped, or tortured, but… well, getting spanked still hurts, especially if Patton actually wants him to pull his pants down for it! Not even aware he’s doing so, Virgil curls in on himself more, hands coming to clutch protectively at the button and zipper of his skinny jeans, the short side more anxious than he’d like to be about this. Every other time he’s been spanked, it’s happened quickly and without very much warning, and while it really sucks to not know what’s happening at first, it’s like ripping off a band-aid, and makes it less of an ordeal since it goes by so quickly. However, it seems that Patton isn’t as clinical or hot-tempered in his approach as Logan and Roman are, preferring to warn Virgil of what’s to come and try convincing him to cooperate on his own terms which, really, is very nice of him, but it doesn’t make it any freaking easier. Realizing that the other side isn’t going to do this willingly, Patton sighs again, shutting his eyes as a troubled expression overtakes his face, the father figure obviously frustrated by Virgil’s lack of cooperation, but he’s not exactly surprised, having expected his ward to be difficult.

“Kiddo,  _ please  _ don’t make this any harder than it has to be,” Patton practically begs, not even  _ trying  _ to wear a fake smile anymore, tone more serious than it’s ever been before. “I don’t wanna spank you, but you’ve given me no other options.”

“How are there no other options? Let’s talk about this!” Virgil suggests, still clutching his zipper like a lifeline, eyes fixated on Patton as he goes rigid, ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

“I’ve  _ tried  _ talking, Virge, but you just keep arguing with me and not listening to what I have to say,” Patton points out, his irritation returning in full force, as he’s begun to tap his foot impatiently. “Here’s what we can do; you can either stand up and take off your pants yourself, or I can do it for you. Either way, you still need to be reminded that your family isn’t gonna stand by and let you hurt yourself anymore!”

Virgil averts his eyes, squirming. He then swallows, giving Patton a rather sheepish look. “…You’re serious, aren’t you?” He may as well ask, both to stall for time and learn why this is happening, as he has a feeling this wasn’t  _ entirely  _ Patton’s idea.

“Yes, I am,” Patton says, doing his best to sound authoritative. “I know you probably don’t wanna hear this, but I found out about Logan spanking you… I talked to him about it, and he said since I represent Morality, I should try disciplining you, too.”

“Oh my  _ god,” _ Virgil grumbles, covering his face as it turns even redder, embarrassed to hear that his stupid sessions with Logan have been legitimately discussed, and seeing as it was  _ Logan  _ who this information came from, it was probably explained in a way that was unnecessarily technical and routine.  _ “Please _ tell me he didn’t say too much.” He knows he’s begging, and really, he shouldn’t even ask, but whatever delays this the better.

Patton appears sheepish right away, fidgeting with uncertainty. “Well… he said you were awful scared at first, but that it worked really well for you; he says you stopped being mean to yourself for two whole weeks!” He again softens, attempting to comfort the other side. “I know this is really scary, kiddo, but I promise not to hurt you… okay, it’s gonna sting real bad, but I’m not gonna beat you up, sweetheart!”

Virgil hesitates a moment longer, still tempted to run… but if Logan is really in on this too, then he’ll just get it from him instead, and seeing how strong the logical side is, he figures he might be better off hoping Patton doesn’t have as much upper arm strength. “…Okay,” He finally concedes, though he still gives Patton a dirty look for putting him through this as he stands up, hands returning to protect his crotch. “But I’m not pulling my pants down for this bull!”

“Alrighty then,” Patton chirps all too easily, grinning at Virgil. Wait, is he really gonna let him- “Guess I’ll help ya get ‘em off for you!”  _ Nevermind. _

“Wait,  _ no!” _ Virgil yelps, trying to jump back, but Patton has him by the forearm in an instant, pulling him closer as the taller side sits down on his bed, dragging the younger man to stand between his legs. “Pat, stop it, please! You _ can’t!” _

“I absolutely  _ can, _ junior,” Patton shoots back, giving Virgil a less than impressed huff. “Stop being so difficult, kiddo, it’s not gonna be that bad.” He says this as he shoves Virgil’s hands out of the way, beginning to unbutton the other side’s jeans.

**“I said ****_stop it!”_** Virgil snaps, slipping into his _Tempest Tongue_ without much forethought.** “I’m not gonna let you ****_beat _****me!”**

Instead of going right on ahead and ignoring Virgil’s tantrum, Patton pauses, taking his ward’s hands in his as he looks up at him, trying to read his expression. _ “Virgil… _ honey, why are you so  _ scared? _ I know you’ve been spanked before, and while I can’t promise it won’t hurt, I’m not about to beat you up. What’s going on in there, buddy?”

Virgil takes a minute to gather himself, breathing in and out in an attempt to calm down, but it’s a losing battle. Patton is right- he  _ has  _ been spanked before, and he’s certain it can’t be any worse than the punishment Roman gave him- but the uncertainty of being spanked by someone new is honestly quite intimidating. On top of that, Virgil likes to think he gets along best with Patton out of all the light sides, so to realize that he’s become enough of a problem to warrant the kind-hearted side’s  _ ire…  _ it kills him inside. He could handle Deceit’s hatred (no he couldn’t), he could handle Remus constantly bullying and harassing him (it makes him want to vomit every time he smells dirty dishes), he could handle Logan’s change of approach (just barely), he could handle Roman’s sudden desire to be authoritative (yet it reminded him too much of the king), but… he can’t handle  _ Patton  _ not liking him anymore. Try as he might, Virgil can’t stop believing that this is Patton no longer caring about him, deciding that he’d rather hurt the emo than be his friend, and that’s enough to make tears spring into his eyes. Virgil forces them back though, not allowing them to fall, as he doesn’t want Patton to feel guilty for hating him… honestly, if he had the opportunity, Virgil would give up on himself too, but seeing as Thomas apparently needs him now, it looks like he’s stuck in this makeshift hell.

“Oh  _ sweetpea,” _ Patton murmurs, pulling Virgil close so he can hug him, his face now pressed into the younger side’s tummy. “Do you think I  _ hate you, _ kiddo? Virgil, you’re my favorite person  _ ever. _ You know that, right? Well, if you don’t, you oughta know, ‘cus it’s the truth. Yeah, we don’t really have the same interests, and your music isn’t very happy sounding, and your spiders still scare the bejesus outta me, but… I love you so much, and I wanna see you happy. I can’t imagine you’re very happy, when you’re constantly beating yourself up, so please…  _ please, _ Virgil, won’t you trust me enough to help you realize what’s wrong? You trust Logan with this, right? Can you please trust me, too?”

Unable to answer, Virgil gives a shaky nod, a few tears slipping as Patton’s words sink in. Of _course _he trusts him, he’s the closest thing he’s had to a dad since Deceit disowned him! This gets a smile from the fatherly side as he let’s go, giving his boy the most loving of grins. “Okay then, kiddo… I know this is gonna hurt, probably pretty bad, but it won’t hurt forever, and when it’s over, we can do something nice together. Wouldn’t that be nice, lil’ stormcloud? We could bake some cookies or draw together… whatever you wanna do, we’ll do it, but first, I think you need a reminder on why we don’t say bad things about ourselves, okay?” With that, Patton unbuttons Virgil’s skinny jeans, pulling them down to the boy’s knees, leaving only his boxers for protection.

Virgil goes rigid at this, tempted to put his hands over his boxer covered crotch, but… well, they have the same private parts, don’t they? No point in getting shy about it. With all the gentleness of a loving mother, Patton pulls the boy to lie over his lap, though the emo’s bed supports a majority of his weight once he’s laid down. Internally, Virgil is surprised by how much more comfortable this position is compared to the other ones he’s been put in when being spanked… usually he’s held under Logan’s arm to be swatted, and in Roman’s case he was held in the very awful diaper position, but with his knees and elbows supported by the bed, while it isn’t  _ astonishingly  _ comfy, it’s better than his last few spankings were. Without so much as a word of warning, as he’s given most of the comfort he can by now, Patton begins swinging his hand down onto the seat of Virgil’s boxers, getting a hard jolt from him for the first blow, but after that, the anxious side tries to keep it together. Even with Patton not using an implement, Virgil is treated to a terrible surprise when he realizes that the fatherly side is about as strong as Logan is, if not more so. This is very bad news for his poor bottom, which he can already feel turning a dusty pink under the onslaught. If all of this weren’t embarrassing enough, Patton begins to speak after about fifteen swats, starting a Logan-worthy lecture for his ward.

“Virgil, do you know why you’re getting this spanking?” Patton asks, barely heard over the sound of skin on cloth, his hand never once pausing or slowing when he speaks.

“Do you  _ really  _ gotta ask me that right now?” Virgil questions, a loud hiss escaping his throat when Patton smacks the same spot a few times in a row. “Okay, okay! I’m… OW, I’m getting s-swatted because, uh… OW, b-because I’m too self-OW-deprecating!”

“That’s definitely a big part of it, sport,” Patton praises, delivering a few lighter swats of encouragement, though it doesn’t last long, as he goes right back to spanking with the same amount of force he was using before. “Can you think of any  _ other  _ reasons why I might be spanking you? Anything else you might’ve done wrong?”

In a moment of recklessness, Virgil snarls, though Patton doesn’t get to see his furious expression, as the emo’s still stuck growling at his bed sheets. “Yeah, I shouldn’t have let you into my fuckin’ room, asshole!” He shouts, getting angrier as the soreness in his backside increases.

Patton tuts at that, which really doesn’t help with Virgil’s anger problem. “You. Don’t. Curse. At. Me. Or. Anyone. Else!” He lectures, giving much harder swats for each word he says, wanting the side across his lap to get the message loud and clear. “Do you understand me, Virgil Anxiety? You. Don’t. Swear. At. Your. Da- _ Family!”  _ He corrects himself before he can slip up, nearly missing Virgil’s bottom with the last swat he’s so frazzled by what he almost called himself in the other male’s presence.

“Okay, I get it,  _ I get it!” _ Virgil promises, beginning to kick and thrash in resistance. “Come on, Pat, this is getting excessive; Logan  _ never  _ punishes me this long!” That’s only partially true, seeing as most spankings from the logical side only take about three minutes, but some particularly harsh ones have gone on for as long as seven (though, the longest and hardest one that Virgil can remember is when Logan whooped him for eating the last of the Crofters… that was the worst spanking ever)!

“Well, I’m not Logan,” Patton deadpans, unimpressed with Virgil’s struggling, though he does pause for a minute to readjust his hold on the shorter side. He has both of Virgil’s legs between his own in no time, which he pins in place by closing his thighs, making it so the emo can’t kick anymore. The break lasts for nearly a minute, as Patton considers what he’s about to do, before he resigns himself to his fate. “Alright, kiddo… it’s about time we finish this up,” He says, grabbing the waistband of Virgil’s boxers with his left hand, the other staying between the boy’s shoulder blades to steady him. “I know you’re not gonna like this, but I think I need to make a big impression if I want you to take this lesson seriously.” With that, he starts tugging the article of clothing down his ward’s thighs.

“Whoa whoa  _ whoa!”  _ Virgil shouts, caught off-guard by this turn of events, though he manages to not slip into  _ Tempest Tongue. _ “Pat, please, you don’t have to do this!” He promises, feeling as though he’s begging for his life from an unsympathetic executioner. “Can I  _ please  _ keep my boxers on? Pretty please? I  _ really  _ don’t want you seeing me…  _ like that.” _ He’s too embarrassed to even say it, face flushed pink with shame. He doesn’t even  _ care  _ if they have the exact same genitalia anymore, the embarrassment is too much for him!

“Virgil, kiddo, we’ve all got the same keesters here!” Patton points out, trying to be reassuring, but it’s not really working. With enough tugging, he soon has Virgil's boxers all the way down to his ankles, not wanting the other side to be able to just reach back and pull them back up again. With the other side as prepared as he can be for this, Patton takes a deep breath, rolling up his left shirt sleeve so it won’t get in the way. “Okay, junior… just a few more minutes, and we’ll be all done. You’re being so brave, I know you can do this.” He murmurs, and with that, he continues the spanking.

Virgil let’s out a very unwelcome shout as the punishment picks back up again, the feeling of bare flesh on bare flesh very difficult to endure. Yeah, Roman’s use of the king’s hairbrush was on another level of horrible pain, and Logan swats rather relentlessly with his hand, but  _ this…  _ well, with there being no coverage to keep him protected, it feels a lot more intimate now. Spankings in general are rather intimate, something Virgil knows all too well at this point, but his boxers being down just makes him feel less like he can ignore it, like there’s nothing he can do but endure the spanking until Patton decides he’s done. Out of seemingly nowhere, Virgil feels a sob building up in his throat, so he bites his lips to keep it inside. This does him very little good, as now his lips are bleeding, something Patton must notice, as he pauses without warning. Quickly, the fatherly side produces a clean tissue from the tissue box on Virgil’s nightstand, dabs the blood off his ward’s lip, pats his head in reassurance, and then goes right back to spanking him, this time even harder than before. For whatever reason, that sets Virgil off-  _ why did he even bother stopping? Deceit probably would’ve just ignored it if he bled, while Remus definitely would’ve laughed at him for it-  _ and without so much as a whimper of warning, he begins crying, both of his hands taking fistfuls of Patton’s slacks as he wails into the fabric of his bed sheets, desperate for comfort in the midst of such awful pain.

Within the minute, the spanking ends, not that Virgil notices, too busy crying like his life depends on it. In all honesty, he hasn’t cried since right after Roman spanked him, and seeing as Logan’s never gotten anything save for a few tears out of the anxious side, this is his first time really crying during the spanking itself, at least in any way that could be considered loud. To Virgil’s gratefulness, Patton doesn’t scold him for having such big feelings, taking his breakdown in stride as, very gently, he rolls the emo over, sits him up, and holds him delicately in his lap, his thighs parted so the boy’s backside doesn’t accidentally touch the bed sheets. Virgil wails for what feels like an eternity, the combination of pain in his bottom and pain in his heart keeping him from calming down anytime soon, but again, Patton doesn’t get upset with him for this, preferring to just rub his boy’s back until it’s over. At some point during his meltdown, Virgil is handed his beloved stuffed cat, which he shamelessly snuggles up with, burying his face in the plushie’s soft tummy for comfort. Although the younger side can’t see his father figure’s reaction to this, Patton smiles at the boy, because even though he didn’t enjoy spanking Virgil, he can’t say he doesn’t like the cuddle session they’re now having.

After another ten minutes of quiet time, Patton readjusts his hold on Virgil, more or less cradling him in his arms. “Now, Virgil,” He says, tone calm and collected, which is very welcome after such an ordeal. “Do you understand why I spanked you, kiddo?” He doesn’t wait for an answer this time, as Virgil is still shedding a few stray tears, and he doesn’t want to force him to speak right away. “I spanked you because you were very mean to yourself. You may think that doesn’t hurt the other sides, but it does. Even if the others aren’t as good at saying so, we  _ all  _ love you  _ so  _ much, baby boy… even the dark sides do,” When Virgil’s body goes rigid at this, Patton rubs his back in soothing circles, not talking again until after the boy has recovered. “Sorry, Virge… I shouldn’t have mentioned them, huh? I was still telling the truth, though; we all love you  _ so  _ much, so to see you act like you hate yourself… that really hurts us, even if you don’t realize it does. So  _ please,  _ kiddo, if you’re feeling icky, just tell me or Logan, okay? We could watch a movie together, or bake a cake, or even play some games! But if you need it, and you don’t think other stuff will make it better, I can always give you another spanking, too. You just gotta use your words in a more productive way, sweetheart.” Patton ends his monologue by gently kissing Virgil’s forehead, having to brush his bangs out of the way to do so.

Virgil knows he oughta huff and puff at this, maybe challenge Patton to a proper fight after humiliating him to such an extent, but he’s too tuckered out to be angry anymore, now just sore and sleepy. Catching onto the younger side’s fatigue, Patton stands up, turns around, and lays Virgil back down on his bed, grabbing the blankets at the end of the bed in order to tuck him in. However, before he can pull them up, Patton raises an eyebrow at Virgil, and without speaking, he points to the other side’s hoodie. Virgil glances down at it, wondering if he should keep it on or not, but as he knows he’s going to fall asleep very soon here, he decides to take it off, as he doesn’t want to be overheated when he wakes up later. Patton smiles at this, taking Virgil’s discarded hoodie and folding it up for him, after which he sets it on the empty desk chair nearby, just so the emo can snatch it when he comes to wake him up later. With that taken care of, Patton goes right back to tucking Virgil in, making sure not to make any comments about his lack of any clothing from the waist down; no need to embarrass his son anymore than he already has. Once Virgil is settled in, his eyelids drooping, Patton turns off the ceiling light, the room going completely dark save for a small, moon-shaped lamp near the bedroom door.

“Goodnight, kiddo… I love you. When you wake up, I’ll come and get you, okay? After dinner, we oughta bake some cookies or brownies. Which would you prefer, buddy?” Patton asks, trying to not only make Virgil look forward to waking up later, but give him some additional comfort.

Virgil thinks on it for a few seconds, giving a hesitant swallow before he responds. “Um… I know it’s a lot more complicated to make, but…” He waits, and when Patton doesn’t scold him, he continues with the request. “Can we maybe, um… make  _ cupcakes?” _

Patton grins, his eyes sparkling with such love and affection, it has Virgil’s stomach in knots, but not in the anxious ones he’s used to. “That’s such a good idea, Virge!” He praises, ruffling Virgil’s hair in encouragement. He then kisses the boy’s forehead again, possibly overdoing it with the coddling, but his ward doesn’t seem all that annoyed, so he sees no reason to stop comforting his kid. “Get some good sleep, baby boy… see ya in an hour or so.” Slowly, Patton finally leaves Virgil be, wanting to allow the younger side to get some much needed rest.

Before Patton even reaches the door, Virgil’s out cold, curled into a ball on his side, but he no longer has his stuffed cat, as he accidentally let go of it while rolling over, leading to it now being left on the floor. Moments after Patton has left, a presence appears in the shadows, though it doesn’t make a sound, as no one is awake to notice them. With all of the practiced ease of a panther on the hunt, the shadow tiptoes ever closer, revealing himself to be none other than Deceit as he passes by the moon lamp, his yellow accents more prominent for all of a second before he leaves the lamp’s gentle glow. His face gives away nothing, as it is meant to do, the man very obviously here for an important reason. Once he reaches Virgil’s bedside, Deceit looks the anxious side over, eyes lingering on his slumbering face, which looks more peaceful than it has in many,  _ many  _ years. Grimacing- though not with disgust, as one might assume from a man with his brand of gentlemanliness- the liar kneels down, picking up Virgil’s stuffie from off the floor, which he dusts off with great care. Deceit then maneuvers the stuffed animal back into the younger side’s arms, and while he’s obviously still asleep, Virgil accepts the plushie without much persuasion, letting out a soft hum as he nuzzles his face against the comfort item in his sleep. Deceit smirks at this, remaining quiet as he watches over the other side.

Soon enough though, Remus forms from out of the shadows as well, a low chuckle emitting from his throat. “Did he get it good from everyone’s least favorite daddy? I bet he cried like a little baby over it!” Remus mocks, his voice coming out louder than intended, not that that’s unusual for him.

Deceit flinches at the sound, whipping around to glare daggers at the darker imaginings of creativity. “Will you shut your mouth for  _ once  _ in your miserable life!?” He asks, tone angry but low, if only to keep the slumbering boy nearby from rousing. “He’s sleeping, and I don’t want you waking him up with your insufferable shouting!” He adds, gesturing to Virgil so Remus can see why he should shut up.

Remus skips over to the bed, grinning like a bobcat when he sees Virgil. “Oh, he’s  _ totally  _ naked under there,” He points out rather shamelessly. “Trust me, I can tell… yep, looks like Daddy spanked him  _ extra  _ hard! Think he used a paddle on him? Virge always  _ was  _ a lil’ pussy about bruises~!”

Deceit rolls his eyes, not the least bit amused by Remus’ usual brand of sadism. “It doesn’t matter,” He says, giving Virgil another nervous look, biting his lip with worry. “…Do you think he thinks of me?” He asks, not even realizing he asked the question out loud.

“Hm?” Remus seems shocked, but he tries to hide it with a dirty joke. “You mean, like, while masturbating? I mean, he could  _ totally  _ have a daddy kink, I wouldn’t put it past him, but that would be  _ extra weird _ if he thought of  _ you,  _ seein’ as you’re kinda  _ [son papa].” _

“God, I hate you; that’s  _ definitely  _ what I meant, and you  _ don’t  _ know it,” Deceit mutters, though there’s no real venom there. He sighs then, grimacing at the sleeping side in front of him. “I definitely have  _ never  _ wondered though…” He trails off, the truth already starting to come out, even if he’s pretending it’s a lie, so he may as well finish his thought. “Does he ever miss me? Miss  _ us? _ Miss the life that we had together, before things changed?” He barely manages to not lie by the end, his throat itchy from keeping his lies at bay.

Remus thinks on that for a moment, before shrugging, putting back on a happy-go-lucky grin to mask his true emotions. “Eh, who cares? Even if he does, he’s such a brat, I bet he’s still pissed at us for trying to raise him right. He’s so ungrateful; we were just trying to help him be better at being Anxiety, and what did  _ he  _ give  _ us?  _ A  _ headache, that’s _ what!” With that, Remus goes to make his leave, but not before glancing over his shoulder at Deceit, eyeing him rather suspiciously. “Jay… we don’t  _ need  _ him anymore. Ya know that, _ right?  _ You’ve got me ‘n the lurker, so why would you need the scaredy-cat, too? He’s  _ never  _ appreciated all you did for him; you should just give up on him already. You’re just gonna hurt yourself, Papa, and not in the fun way!” And then he’s gone, having never been one for staying in one place for very long.

It’s only after Remus has dissolved back into the shadows that Deceit sighs again, eyes wet, yet he refuses to let the tears fall. “I’m  _ not  _ sorry about him; you  _ don’t  _ know how he can be,” He says, beginning to talk to himself, though he pretends that he’s talking directly to Virgil instead. Frustrated with the lies by now, he pulls off the glove on his right hand, feeling sick when he does so, but at least he can talk without lying until he puts it back on. “But I  _ am  _ sorry about… well, a lot of things. I know you hate me, and I can’t even blame you for that. I was a  _ terrible  _ father; I let Remus bully you, and I always took his side when you two argued, all because I missed the king and Roman, but worst of all, I  _ screamed  _ at you so,  _ so  _ often… you didn’t deserve that. No one does,” Softly, he lays his hand on Virgil’s forehead with his bare hand, shivering at the warmth. “Don’t you worry, Virgilus; I’m going to get you back. The way the light sides treat you… it hurts still, doesn’t it? Not as much as Remus’ playing, I’m sure, but there’s still  _ pain  _ involved. Logic may say it helps, but you’ll see, I’ll use this against him. I’ll see to it that you get punished  _ so much, _ you’ll realize how careless they  _ really  _ are, and then I’ll come and rescue you from them. It’s going to be okay, son; you’ll be home with Papa soon.”

By the time Patton returns to wake Virgil up an hour later, Deceit has long since left, only the return of his cat plushie being any indication to Virgil that someone was here, but he just chalks it up to Patton having checked on him earlier or something of that nature. In the meantime, Deceit continues to watch from afar, just waiting for another chance to get his son in trouble, and lead him ever closer back to his true home. He’ll make those light sides pay for stealing his boy, even if it means hurting him in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, it’s been a pretty long time, hasn’t it? Sorry about that, I was getting stumped when I tried to write the spanking scene itself, but yesterday’s episode was enough to kick me back into high gear! Btw, I don’t plan on calling Deceit “Janus” right away in this fic (other than Remus calling him by that name on occasion), as I kinda want it to be revealed later, but in any case, we’ve got some Dadceit incoming (though, let’s be honest, it won’t be the most wholesome of Dadceit content at the beginning)! I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I’ll see you guys next time!
> 
> Oh, and before I forget, who should be next to spank Virgil; Remus or Deceit? I know I want Deceit’s chapter to involve the first SvS episode, but that episode takes place quite awhile after Fitting In, so I’m leaning towards Remus showing up before him maybe? I dunno, I’ll let you guys decide!
> 
> And a second last thing; I am gonna follow the majority's advice and keep this fic purely platonic, so I'll remove those extra tags asking about it asap! Thanks for the input, guys!


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